What if the biggest thing holding leaders back isn’t a lack of ambition or skilL but outdated operating systems we’ve never questioned?

Mitch Shepard lives at the intersection of truth-telling, leadership, and systems change. She’s an Applied Behavioral Scientist, Chief Truth Teller, and CEO of HUMiN, Inc., and a trusted advisor to leaders at some of the world’s most influential companies.

In this unfiltered conversation, the throughline is clear: we must all embrace authentic leadership, equity, and courage to be fully human at work and in life.

This is a bold, honest, and expansive conversation about legacy. How leaders can do truly great work by creating equity, telling the truth, and inviting men and women alike to bring all of who they are so we can solve hard problems together.

To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com, search by episode title.

Listen in for…

• How leaders can stop performing and start telling the truth
• Why can’t we keep focusing on “fixing the women” and instead must confront the systems we operate within
• The tension and power between masculine and feminine leadership, and why embracing both makes leaders stronger
• How societal expectations shape what we teach young men and women about success, and how we can model something healthier for our kids
• How to sell your strengths better when they defy outdated norms
• How to honor people for who they are, not who the system rewards them for pretending to be

"If you observe environments, it turns out men really are more likely to have the masculine traits in excess or higher quantities, women are more likely to have feminine ones. But this is where the narrative has to shift. None of us are off the hook on learning ALL the skills." — Mitch Shepard

Episode References:

• Outward Bound: outwardbound.org
• The Athena Doctrine: goodreads.com/book/show/16250170-the-athena-doctrine
• “Prime Minister” Documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34965625/

The Empathy Edge:

• Ilana Ben-Ari: How the Empathy Toy is Changing the World
• Claude Silver: Leading with Heart at Vayner Media

About Mitch Shepard: Chief Truth Teller and CEO, HUMiN, Inc.

Mitch Shepard is an Applied Behavioral Scientist and trusted advisor to some of the world’s top leaders. She began her career leading wilderness expeditions through the rivers, canyons, and peaks of Utah and Colorado, guiding teams to achieve bold goals in unpredictable environments.

That foundation, combined with a formal education in Economics and Behavioral Science, prepared Mitch for two decades navigating the equally wild terrain of corporate America. She has since built three companies and coached hundreds of leaders across tech and biotech - from scrappy startups to the Fortune 500.

Mitch is known for her candor, warmth, truth-telling, and sharp strategic mind. She is also an author, mama, wife, sought-after speaker, cancer ass-kicker, social justice warrior—and passionate global citizen.

Mitch’s first book, Lessons From My Daughter, will explore the generational updating of our operating systems from one generation of women to the next.

Connect with Mitch:

HUMiN Inc: humininc.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mitchshepard

Facebook: facebook.com/mitch.loomisshepard

Instagram: instagram.com/mitchshepard

Connect with Maria:

Get Maria's books: Red-Slice.com/books

Hire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-Ross

LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a Leader

LinkedIn: Maria Ross

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